Chapter XXXIV – T for Twin

His Alfa dominance was so low it was barely perceivable. As he kept walking, he looked as passive and defenceless as the Omega in his arms. Around him, his surroundings felt unreal and his senses oddly dulled. It all looked like everything was happening in slow motion. Feliciano's dark brown eyes were as calm as undisturbed waters and his entire body was relaxed. He could feel his Alfa roar within him like a tamed beast, protective and nervous of the small Omega in his arms. He could feel the animosity and tension around him like drops of rain hitting against his body. He could see the fire red eyes of his twin glaring holes in him as Lovino howled like a demented wolf.

Strange.

He didn't feel threatened at all. Not because William was standing ground in front of Lovino, pressuring the Vargas to retreat. Not because Patrick serving as a shield while helping Feliciano with Arthur. Not because Alistair's brimming Alfa aura was beginning to ring like the King's Silence yet he still held it back, not wanting to use such a skill unless compelled to. None of that seemed to matter. Feliciano was conscious of everything around him yet all his focus was revolving around Arthur. Nothing else mattered.

Threat?

He'd eradicate any threat aimed at his love.

Lovino felt his blood boil in ways he never knew before. He never even realised the change in his behaviour or his aura. He never noticed the way he was able to challenge William's Alfa dominance. The Kirkland might have been surprised but having already witnessed a similar case in Feliciano, he quickly was able to grasp control over Lovino. The Italian could feel his dominance clash with the Kirkland's. Like two angry beasts rising from their inner struggle, their auras almost felt like taking form.

A Wolf howled charging at the hissing Dragon.

Arthur shivered and coughed, feeling oppressed by the surge of Alfa pressures around him. In his normal state, he would be fine and able to shield himself with his own Alfa dominance. But in his heats, not only is he ten times more receptive, but he's also defenceless. A weak whine escaped his breathless lips, making every Alfa in the room shiver.

Lovino felt a cord in him snap and completely lost control of his Alfa. Hearing Arthur in such agony was insufferable. But more so than that, the sweet smell of the Omega, the pulsing of his aura, and the needy hormonal stimulus in Arthur was driving Lovino crazy. He could only think of one thing and that was to get his hands on the Omega.

That is when his eyes landed once more on the figure of his brother. His weak, pathetic, failure of an Alfa brother. Furious rage invaded the older twin as he charged past William, who got distracted by Arthur, and aimed straight at his brother's throat. He could not accept Feliciano to be the one holding Arthur. His rational mind may have accepted it, but his Alfa refused to bow and surrender his prey to his weakling brother! He will not tolerate his brother to challenge his authority or take what Lovino so rightfully deserves and desires.

Feliciano, hearing Arthur's struggle, nearly felt his mind snap. All those Alfas around were making his Arthur uncomfortable. Feliciano himself had tuned down his own dominance almost completely suppressing it. As a reflex to make Arthur feel less threatened, Feliciano was able to settle his desires and his Alfa was too overly concerned by the state of the Omega to be angered or lustful.

But as he watched his brother charge, beastly aura of the hungry wolf he is, all out to rip him to shreds, Feliciano suddenly feared for Arthur. A threat. He felt a threat. A threat needed to be eradicated. The younger twin's calm composure barely got disturbed, almost as much as small ripples on the peaceful waters of a lac. His hands still carrying Arthur's agonising body, the brunet avoided his brother's attacks, skilfully moving Arthur out of reach every time.

Patrick tried to take Arthur from the Italian but it seemed as though Feliciano would have none of it. He avoided everyone. He seemed to not allow any Alfa presence anywhere near the blonde. Lovino roared in fury, sweeping blow after blow but only grasping and punching air. His blazing red eyes raged in fury as he could only be gazed back at by calm composed browns. It frustrated the older twin even more. He felt he was being looked down upon by his younger weaker brother. And the prize in Feliciano's arms did not help Lovino's fury to calm down.

Alistair watched with a concerned expression. He didn't have a guaranty that his King's Silence would work on the twins. And if he used it, his brothers would immediately be unable to move from his Head dominance. The problem with the King's Silence is that it only works on those that recognise you as King. Lovino probably doesn't, even if he did fear the Kirklands' monster dominance. As for Feliciano, Alistair wasn't even sure how to deal with him anymore. The Italian was not his usual aggressive reds but had reverted to his warm peaceful browns. And yet, Alistair was even more worried by Feliciano's strength now than he would be with red eyes. Now, Lovino was the one with furious reds. What the hell is with those Vargas twins? Is it normal to change eye colour as you please?

As Feliciano moved sideways, again avoiding his brother, he stepped back towards Francis and Alistair. Crossing eyes with the Head Kirkland, Feliciano almost instantly stilled. In the eyes of his King, he was being judged. He could see it in Alistair's emeralds. Almost based on pure instinct, Feliciano bowed his head to the scarlet and handed the agonising body of Arthur to Francis. In the hands of a Beta, Arthur is safe. Betas are known to be the supporting class that will either care for Omegas or follow Alfas. Francis hurriedly took hold of his friend but noticed the reticence of the Italian in letting go. It's almost as if Feliciano was afraid to let Arthur out of his reach. For a brief moment, Feliciano even considered retaking Arthur but Alistair's glare was absolute. Without a word, the Kirkland had already made it clear that he would not tolerate his brother being anywhere near danger. And being attacked by Lovino was called "danger".

The growl of his brother snapped Feliciano back to reality and his eyes changed to a deep crimson of red, darker than Lovino's fiery ones. Alistair could tell that Feliciano was still in control while Lovino was not. It was as if the roles were reversed.

"Take Arthur to his room and lock the door. Only open to me." Alistair whispered to Francis' ear and the blonde was quick to nod, carrying his friend in a hurry and away from the fight.

William and Patrick remained by their Head Alfa's side, watching the fight between the two brothers. Now that Arthur is out of danger, they no longer felt the need to interfere. And Alistair was not in any right to interrupt this fight between two Alfas of the same family. So they only watched, guarding the access to Arthur's room. It was lucky that their parents and grandfather were not around today. This would have been cause for a major scolding if Bridget got wind of this. Merwin had gone off with Peter to the park and Fiona was supposedly hanging out with friends … though it's highly possible that her "friends" of today are just some Alfas challenging her to fights. The usual.

Red met red.

Feliciano was now quite thankful for all the self-defence he had learned from Kiku and Yao. Arthur really did think of everything! Thanks to that, the younger twin was able to keep up with his brother. He could feel Lovino's Head Alfa dominance attempt to crush him. But strangely enough, it hardly bothered Feliciano anymore. In the past, he remembers flinching just by the mere voice raising of Lovino. But now, even in his fury, Lovino's aura felt like one of a stranger. A foreign Alfa threatening his friend.

A threat. No longer an order.

Glancing briefly towards the redhead Alfa, Feliciano didn't feel wrong in bowing his head to Alistair like he had done before. Throughout his time with the Kirklands, he had grown to know each and every one of them. He especially respected Merwin but now, also Alistair. Having been trained by the older Alfa, he realised how strong and intimidating the Scarlet was, yet he was in admiration in the control Alistair kept when around Omegas. He no longer felt jealous of the arguments Alistair and Arthur seem to always have. He no longer felt angry when Arthur obeys to his brother. He no longer feels reluctant of leaving Arthur in the care of his Head. Actually, he would now do the exact same.

Alistair's King's Silence still had no effect on Feliciano because the brunet did not feel a part of the Kirkland Clan, nor did he feel he should be bowing unconditionally to Alistair. He bowed to Merwin, for some reason. But nobody else. His inner Alfa just refused to accept his Head. And even if he respected and considered Alistair worth obeying, he did so willingly and not forced by Alistair's pressure. It was almost like a mutual agreement.

Something Feliciano never had with his brother. People that suggest a deep link of some sort between twins … are all wrong. Feliciano holds no link to his brother other than sharing the same blood. He had no special connection. He had no particular bond. They were brothers, of course, and he cared for his twin, but Feliciano did not feel as if Lovino was any more special than a normal brother.

A brother that was now a threat.

Lovino didn't understand.

His brother had always been obedient and respectful of his authority as the next Head of the Vargas Family. Since when did Feliciano's attitude towards him change? How much did it change? How can his weak brother even dare challenge him? And how can he fight? Feliciano cannot fight! As far as Lovino was aware, his brother is weak minded and unable to protect himself or fight back. Yet here he was, challenged by his brother, crimsons of a promised death glaring at Lovino, and skills of a predator on a hunt fighting back the older Italian. Since when had he lost all understanding of his brother? Since when …?

Since when could he no longer recognise his own brother?

"… I'm assuming there is a valid explanation for this?" a voice interrupted the fight.

Feliciano and Lovino both looked up in time to see a flash of crimson and one glowing green eye before the air in their lungs got crushed out, their bodies pressed to the ground by a whim of gravity, and an irrational fear invade them by every port of their bodies.

"Alistair. I want you to explain to me exactly what is going on here." Merwin ordered his heir, the only one still standing in the room.

The young redhead scratched the back of his head, thinking of a very good lie/excuse to cover up what had happened. He shot a glance towards Arthur's room then back at the furious green eye of their grandfather. Peter was hiding fearfully behind Merwin, unaffected due to Merwin's ability to narrow his King's Silence only to those he wished to affect. It didn't mean that the young immature Alfa could not feel the power and dominance emanating from his grandfather.

"Arthur … got his heat early." Alistair nervously answered, really hoping his grandfather would not blow a fuse. Merwin is known to be patient but … once he snaps, he becomes absolutely unreasonable. Like a furious bloodthirsty beast.

Merwin's only green eye overlooked every Alfa in his house. He narrowed on the dangerous red eyed twins, frowning deeper. Then he looked back at his grandson still standing in the room.

"My office. You and the Vargas. Now. Patrick and William, you are to guard Arthur. Leave Francis to take care of him. No Alfa is to walk in his room. Understood?" Upon his last words Merwin's eye was glaring at Feliciano, like a warning. The Italian silently nodded and felt the pressure of the King slowly release him. Nobody questioned how Merwin knew about Francis. He obviously just smelled him upstairs with Arthur. As everyone actively obeyed the Head Kirkland, Feliciano could not stop his blood from boiling in a resonance in sync with his brother. Their red eyes met and both knew … They would not be satisfied with a draw.

Giulio Vargas had dearly hoped to avoid another "twin incident" as they are called. The Vargas family has always produced twins. It's a common fact that twins tend to be a family trait rather than just random. And as such, Giulio himself had a twin older brother: Romario. The two of them were really close and both worked together and founded the Vargas Industries. It started a small business and quickly grew in influence. But there was always the unmentioned question of leadership. At first, both twins were fine working as a duo. But when the Head Alfa of their family died (at the time their father) the twins were forced into taking a decision. In normal circumstances, such an issue is solved diplomatically with a vote of the family. But the Vargas have an unusual familial trait that makes it slightly more … complicated.

Red.

The founder of the Vargas Famiglia, dating back long before the Great War, was reputed to have an unusual shade of crimson eyes whenever his anger level rose. Although mostly a myth in the family, there was a sad case that occurred recently to prove the legend right. It seems, this crimson red issue only affects twins. Whenever a rivalry occurs between the twins, their blood will start boiling and their strength increase. Blood red will take over their visions and nothing can stop the siblings from tearing one another apart. Oddly enough, the Vargas Family, and this particular curse, is whispered to date back from the founders of Rome … what where their names again? Something Romilius and Ramses? Too far back in time, even the myth got lost in translation and history.

But the curse condemning twins still remains. Due to the mistakes of their ancestors, every Vargas twin will now repeat the iconic scene so famous in the creation of the Italian Capital: Fratricide.

And just as the legend goes, Giulio too was faced with such a dilemma. It's not even a conscious act. The two twins had been so close to each other but it seemed that only one twin can rule over the Famiglia and as such, the other must be eliminated. Coexistence has never been possible, though many had tried. Giulio had tried. He desperately regrets his one actions. If he could go back in time, he would prevent his own crime of murdering his older twin. He can't even remember actually killing Romario.
Everything had turned red.

The next thing he knew Giulio was standing alone, his brother lying face down on the floor at his feet, his hands soaked in blood that wasn't his own. Horror and guilt were the only emotions that took over his heart. He mourned his brother, hated himself and lived the rest of his life in an attempt to repent for his sin. Until his daughter became pregnant of twins.

Twins.

Again.

The phone rang.

"Vargas." The tired Italian man sighed as he answered. The voice he got in return was the last piece of news he wanted to hear.

"Guess what, pasta boy?" Merwin snarled through the phone, obviously really angry and Giulio had a feeling that he was going to be blamed for whatever had put the Briton in a bad mood.

"What?"

"Your twins were bloody fighting in my bloody house."

Giulio's eyes widen in terror and he feared to speak his next words. In a quiet whisper that Merwin nearly didn't catch, Giulio finally dared to ask:

"Which is alive?"

"… Are you fucking kidding me? If I was reporting a bloody murder, I'd be phoning the cops!" Merwin huffed and hung up.

Giulio let out a breath he hadn't realised he held. Both are still alive. Murder was not at his door yet. There is still hope for him to stop his grandsons from killing each other. But the fact still remains that they had already begun. The vicious red was now tainting both twins.

Red. A warning for the blood soon to be spilled.